As a reviewer bent on dissecting any important feature and function contained in Denon's new flagship AVR-5803CI receiver I had my work cut out for me. It didn't take long to realize that the best way to conduct this review would be to follow the same steps anyone would take when deciding how best to integrate this product into their listening room. The AVR-5308CI shares nearly all of the same features found on Denon's $7500 AVP-A1HDCI flagship processor. While it lacks the balanced circuitry design, class A audio drivers and several other upgrades which did actually show some measureable results, the AVR-5308CI sells for about $2,000 less than this preamp and has seven respectable built in power amplifiers, I’d say it makes it quite a bargain.
Discuss "Denon AVR-5308CI AV Receiver Review" here. Read the article.
As a reviewer bent on dissecting any important feature and function contained in Denon's new flagship AVR-5803CI receiver I had my work cut out for me. It didn't take long to realize that the best way to conduct this review would be to follow the same steps anyone would take when deciding how best to integrate this product into their listening room. The AVR-5308CI shares nearly all of the same features found on Denon's $7500 AVP-A1HDCI flagship processor. While it lacks the balanced circuitry design, class A audio drivers and several other upgrades which did actually show some measureable results, the AVR-5308CI sells for about $2,000 less than this preamp and has seven respectable built in power amplifiers, I’d say it makes it quite a bargain.
Discuss "Denon AVR-5308CI AV Receiver Review" here. Read the article.
You mean it doesn't get hot enough to make espresso? That is too bad
But Gene says the 5805 is better built (better components & implimentations) than the 5308?
It's not really fair to compare as the 5805 was really a one boxed separates solution where as the 5308 is a flagship receiver. That being said the 5308 is still one of the best in its class from our testing.
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Gene DellaSala
President, Audioholics Pursuing the truth in audio & video...
I have a 3808CI and initially had the same issue with 30 sec screen blanking on Net/USB source, but found a way to disable it. I'm not at home so I'm going off the manual/pdf I downloaded...and believe it's in Manual Setup menu, then Option Setup, then GUI, then Net/USB then set on-screen display to Always. Again, this is with the 3808CI, but I assume you can do the same on the 5308.
Good review - I like the setup-to-listening format. One comment - don't beat up manufacturers too much for the composite and s-video connections. I have a 5805 and use the s-video connections for Zone 3 and the composite connections for a small monitor to display on-screen menus from the receiver and content menus from an Escient changer controller. Although nobody is likely to buy these receivers and use s-video or composite for their primary display, they do add significant flexibility for multizone and projector setups.
The video processing capabilities on this receiver are incredible.
I believe this, the video processing, is what separates this receiver from the competition, be it another receiver or a separate processor.
Also the ability to setup each input with it's own video parameters, very cool,
and of course the amazing new GUI, makes everything else look dated.
Then you can throw in the 6-HDMI inputs, the 2-HDMI outputs and on it goes
Great review and great job Denon!
Denon AVR-5308CI AV Receiver Review
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